Home-based self-sampling vs clinician sampling for anal precancer screening: The Prevent Anal Cancer Self-Swab Study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Sexual minority men face elevated risks for anal squamous cell carcinoma.
• Early detection through screening is crucial for managing anal cancer risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare screening engagement between home-based self-collection and clinic-based swabbing for anal human papillomavirus (HPV) detection.
• To assess specimen adequacy for HPV genotyping in both study arms.

Main Methods:

• A randomized trial involving 240 cisgender sexual minority men and transgender individuals.
• Participants were assigned to either a home-based self-collection kit or a clinic-based swabbing appointment.
• Specimen adequacy for HPV DNA genotyping was evaluated.

Main Results:

• Higher screening completion rates were observed in the home-collection arm (89.2%) versus the clinic arm (74.2%).
• This difference was more pronounced in Black individuals and those living with HIV.
• Specimen adequacy for HPV genotyping was comparable between self-collected (96.3%) and clinician-collected (93.3%) swabs.

Conclusions:

• At-home anal HPV self-collection significantly increases screening engagement among high-risk populations.
• This method offers a viable and effective alternative to traditional clinic-based screening for anal cancer prevention.